The present invention relates to a ski pole handle assembly, and more particularly to a ski pole handle assembly having an hand grip pivotable between the pull and push positions associated with a poling stroke so as to increase stroke power while likewise conserving energy.
The essence of skiing involves gliding across the snow. As much as we associate skiing with gently rolling hills or steep slopes, an important component of skiing involves self-propulsion, namely the use of synchronous arm and leg movement to initiate and maintain forward motion from an at rest position. This is particularly the case with cross-country skiing, and to a lesser extent with downhill skiing, where the aim is to rhythmically glide on alternating skis in combination with an opposite arm poling motion.
The fundamental cross country skiing motion is that of the diagonal stridexe2x80x94the use of a driving motion with the hips in a straight-ahead direction. As a matter of efficiency, the diagonal stride is combined with arm poling to enhance gliding. As with any dynamic mechanical system, increased power and energy conservation are sought after commodities.
An essential power technique for self-propulsion is known as xe2x80x9cdouble poling.xe2x80x9d The double pole motion involves reaching ahead with both arms and poling with both arms while keeping the legs in a relaxed, but relatively straight position. To add power and conserve energy, the torso is bent slightly forward at the waist while compressing the abdominal muscles. With this technique, the entire propulsive force results from bending at the trunk and pulling/pushing with the arms.
A variation of the basic double poling technique includes the addition of xe2x80x9ckickxe2x80x9d (i.e., addition of a small drive forward onto one leg during the xe2x80x9creach forwardxe2x80x9d of the double pole). The motion is also combinable with other known techniques such as the basic xe2x80x9cV-skate.xe2x80x9d In what is referred to as the xe2x80x9cV2 alternatexe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9copen field skate,xe2x80x9d a skier uses a double pole arm motion on one side of a V-skate, and an arm recovery swing on the other side (i.e., the skier pushes on one side with the upper body and glides on the other side).
With body dynamics well established, mechanical advantage vis-a-vis equipment design has been a focus. Previous ski poles incorporated a handle fixed to the rigid shaft of the pole and shaped to fit the hand. Since the handle is rigidly incorporated into the body of the pole, the hand must partially release its grip during normal skiing, due to the limited range of motion of the joints of the hand and arm. A strap is generally fixed to the uppermost part of the pole, through which the hand is placed, which allows the hand to partially release the pole midway through the rearward thrust of the pole before the succeeding thrust. Previous handle and strap designs have allowed for greater control over the pole while increasing support of the hand and wrist.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,589, issued to Fujii et al., shows a ski pole grip which centrally pivots atop of the shaft of a ski pole to allow use of the grip in either a vertical or horizontal position. The entire grip is convertible on the shaft, without a change in hand position, from an in-line position where the grip is in axially alignment with the shaft, to a transverse position atop the shaft of the ski pole. When the grip is in the horizontal position so as to form a tee-handled pull pole, a power stroke resembling that used in rowing is contemplated, as when lunging from an at rest position, for instance from a starting gate as in downhill skiing. No mechanical advantage is gained using this design during the continuous poling motion widely associated with nordic skiing. Furthermore, this convertible grip is intended to be used either the in-line or transverse grip position, not during the pivoting motion during conversion from one mode to the other.
Swiss Patent No. 562,041 shows various forms of a ski pole handle having pivotable components. In FIGS. 2 through 4, a handle having two longitudinal halves is shown atop a conventional ski pole. A forward half is fixed to the shaft of a ski pole, with its upper end adapted to receive a rearward half of the handle for pivot motion with respect to the shaft. In FIGS. 5 through 8, a pivotable hand grip is shown suspended from a 90 degree bend at the end of a ski pole. The lowermost portion of the grip is tethered to the pole by a spring housed in the grip (i.e., the spring links the lowermost portion of the grip to a tensioning knob integral to the pole). Although the handle style of FIGS. 5 through 8 may offer some mechanical advantage during poling, the general configuration of the components, namely the bend in the pole and the grip depending therefrom, is such that the poling or stroking forces are distributed quite differently from those in a conventional pole arrangement, such as that shown in FIGS. 2 through 4, thereby detracting from mechanical advantage. Furthermore, this configuration is awkward to operate, with the grip having a limited range of pivot motion, the entire assembly requires a specially configured ski pole, and the return mechanism is exposed (i.e., unprotected) through the pulling stroke.
None of the heretofore known designs permit the hand to firmly grasp a handle with all parts of the hand in engagement therewith throughout the entire range of poling motion, while pushing backwards on the planted pole through a full range of arm motion, so as to deliver a snap of the wrist efficiently to and through the pole for an enhanced power stroke. Heretofore known grips limit the quantum and duration of force which can be applied during a rearward thrust of the poles during the essential poling motion.
A ski pole handle assembly having an elongated body adapted to axially engage an upper portion of a ski pole wherein the upper portion of the ski pole is substantially aligned with a shaft of the ski pole, a hand grip pivotable between pull and push poling stroke positions, and a hand grip return mechanism for urging said hand grip from the push position to the pull position of a poling stroke is provided. The hand grip has upper and lower end portions, the upper end portion being pivotably connected to a free end of the elongated body.
More specific features and advantages will become apparent with reference to the DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, appended claims, and the accompanying drawing figures.